HP to buy analytics firm Vertica

HP has announced its intention to buy software group Vertica in a deal expected to boost its real-time business analytics offerings.

Vertica specialises in data management and analytics software, and its expertise will be used to improve services to HP's clients in the physical, virtual and cloud environments, the company said.

Few details are currently available, but the deal is expected to close in the second quarter of HP's 2011 fiscal year.

The firm said "employee decisions will be made at the conclusion of the acquisition process", and did not specify if the Vertica brand will be retained.

A spokesperson for HP said Vertica had "proven success, including a strong presence in telecommunications, financial services, healthcare and internet gaming".

The latest announcement is in line with the recent trend of analytics acquisitions by technology majors, including IBM which has bought four vendors in the past two years.

Adobe has acquired two such providers in just over a year - analytics firm Omniture in 2009 and data management specialist Demdex last month.

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